Image 12 of Basketball, 1990

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KENTUCKY 1989-90
Top: Early signee Jeff Brassow stuck with the Cats through adversity and now prepares to begin his freshman season.
Below: Wildcats fans hope for something to cheer about during the 1989-90 season.
Right: Sophomore John Pelphrey, sidelined part of last year with a stress fracture, hopes to be a factor this season.
Outlook (continued) may seem lean by Kentucky standards, Pitino's record indicates he is up for the challenge.
Another reason for the excitement is the brand of running, pressing basketball Pitino promises to bring to the Bluegrass. "You're trying to score on the other team's
made basket before they turn around and match up defensively, and if you can't do that, to create enough movement that makes it difficult for the defense to help out," Pitino says. "You utilize the three-point shot in the low post game, working inside to out. On defense, it's what we call the 'Mother-in-Law' defense, total pressure and harassment. We are looking to defend people 94 feet from the moment we score until the final buzzer."
And just who will help Pitino accomplish this? Although it is not deep, the Wildcat roster does boast some talent, especially in the backcourt. There the Wildcats will be led by senior Derrick Miller, a 6-5 guard who averaged 13.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season. Miller, who showed promise as a freshman but suffered through a nightmarish sophomore season, came into his own as a junior to become a prolific offensive threat.
Richie Farmer, a 6-0 sophomore, joins Miller in the backcourt. The former state of Kentucky Mr. Basketball battled injury and illness through a disappointing freshman campaign, averaging 3.1 points in 27 games.
Kentucky's two newcomers, sophomore Sean Woods and freshman Jeff Brassow,
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